Rishab Shetty, the star and director of "Kantara: Chapter 1," has responded to the effusive praise he received from veteran filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma (RGV) following the film's release on October 2, 2025. Varma, known for his bold pronouncements, stated that "all filmmakers in India should feel ashamed" after witnessing Shetty's work. He lauded the "unimaginable effort" Shetty and his team invested in the film's technical aspects, including the background music, sound design, cinematography, production design, and VFX.
In an exclusive interview, Shetty revealed that Varma called him, filled with excitement, after watching "Kantara: Chapter 1". According to Shetty, Varma said that Shetty had "taught people how to make films". Shetty, however, remained humble, stating, "Wo film dekh ke excitement main unhone mujhe call kiya tha, lekin sari industry ko legends, seniors ko jo hum dekhte hai – unke inspiration main hum aaye hai. So, wahi follow karta hu main. Mujhe kuch competition record ye sab kuch nahi hai mere dimag main (After watching the film, he called me in excitement. But honestly, all of us in the industry, especially people like me, are here because legends and seniors like him inspired us. I don't think in terms of competition or records; those things don't matter)".
Shetty also acknowledged Varma's significant influence on his career. "Main ek bachcha hu film industry main, wo itne bade legend hai aur itne bade bade films kiyein aur hum bachpan se unka kaam dekhte aayein hai. Unka (film praise karna) ek bohot badi baat hai – toh main accept bhi nahi karta hu (I'm still a kid in the film industry, while he's a legend who has made iconic films. I've grown up watching his work, so for him to praise Kantara is a huge thing – I can hardly accept it)," Shetty said.
Varma didn't limit his praise to a private phone call. He took to social media to express his admiration for "Kantara: Chapter 1," calling it a "FANTAAAASTICCCC" film. He further added that the effort put into the film deserved a "BLOCKBUSTER" status, irrespective of the content, which he considered a "BONUS". Varma also expressed difficulty in deciding whether Shetty was a greater director or actor.
"Kantara: Chapter 1" serves as a prequel to the 2022 film "Kantara". The film is set during the Kadamba period, a golden era in Karnataka, and explores the origins of Kaadubettu Shiva, played by Rishab Shetty. The cast includes Rukmini Vasanth, Gulshan Devaiah, and Jayaram. The film has been released in multiple languages, including Kannada, Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam, Tamil, Bengali, and English.
The film has garnered positive reviews from celebrities like Yash, Prabhas, and Sandeep Reddy Vanga. "Kantara: Chapter 1" has reportedly crossed ₹451 crore worldwide in its first week and ₹300 crore in India.
